As Protests Against Morsi Continue in Egypt, Pro-Democracy Demonstrators See U.S. Approach as Appeasement to Muslim Brotherhood

Nov. 29, 2012 10:31am

This guest contribution comes from Tarek Ragheb, an Egyptian-American, senior U.S. aerospace advisor, former U.S. military officer, diplomat and investor who lives in Egypt.

Egypt Protestors Question U.S. Appeasement of Muslim Brotherhood on Day 2 of Anti Morsi Protests

Demonstrators at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Photo courtesy of Tarek Ragheb.

For the second night, peaceful pro-democracy secular demonstrators have filled Tahrir Square in Cairo. Although the numbers are smaller than the first day, the resolve to maintain the sit-in until President Mohammed Morsi repeals what they consider to be unconstitutional dictatorial decrees is certainly present!

Sharing a YouTube clip of the president committing on a pre-election talk show that he would never cling to power if the people didn’t want him, the young tech savvy pro-democracy demonstrators are incensed as they listen to the president’s words and compare them with today’s reality.

Huddled around an iPhone, I watched this video clip hosted by the well-known journalist Mahmoud Saad. Passed to me through a social media site, I later transcribed it at home to find the following:

Talk show host: A viewer writes “I will still not vote for you because once you reach power you’re not leaving it.”

Candidate Morsi: Impossible, impossible. Why? Because the people, as I said before and I assure you, will not tolerate it. The people are awake now. Christians and Muslims know that who ever comes (to office) and does not respect the law and the constitution, the people will revolt against him. I want the people to immediately revolt against me if I don’t respect the law or the constitution. There’s no such thing as to stay in office forever. Why?  The country will have a real constitution, real law, real freedom. The people will have the right to say what they want. The people will go out and vote again. The people may have patience for one year but will not have it for the second year. So this kind of talk has no place here whatsoever! There will be no president ruling Egypt unless the people are happy with him.”

When I spoke with someone from an older generation, engineer Mahmoud  Selim, he sounded wiser then the younger, impatient Tahrir demonstrators. Mahmoud said he appreciated the position that U.S. Sen. John McCain took denouncing Morsi’s power grab. He thinks the Obama administration is currently driven by lack of information and their zeal to establish one-size-fits-all democracy! He does not believe that there is any U.S. Administration malice toward the pro-democracy demonstrators, but unfortunately the administration believes that the majority of the Egyptians are in favor of political Islam. That could not be further from the truth, given that the very election that brought in this Muslim Brotherhood president edged out a win only by a mere 800,000 votes. If you do the math, Mahmoud continues, there are still 25 million people who did not register their position. These are the silent majority of the simple people who are Muslims but surely not pro-political Islam. Why the Obama Administration continues to appease the minority represented by the Muslim Brotherhood, which is repressive in its very nature and would bring Egypt back centuries, is bewildering to Mahmoud.

To properly canvas the mood,  I decided to visit Sawsan Hussein, a politically astute citizen in her 70s who did not come to the square because of health reasons but is committed and fully supportive of what is going on. A strong anti-Mubarak old regime critic, she minced no words in taking a full frontal attack on the U.S. Administration and described it as a policy of appeasement to the Muslim Brotherhood that we will all regret in years to come.

With the recent announcement of the Muslim Brotherhood march to the square on Saturday, the feeling here is that this peaceful demonstration certainly has a huge potential for becoming a bloody confrontation. With clear strain in her voice, Sawsan takes the position that it’s time the U.S. government heeds Sen. McCain’s words and takes the proper position so that they are on the right side for once!

 

Comments (18)

  • pakaeboiboi
    Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:24pm

    Yes I think the democratic freedom of the new Arab Spring is called “separation of your head from your body” …… leftist libs ….. forget the silly notion of “separation of church/mosque and state” …… anyone remember that long forgotten liberating movement called the French Revolution? …… aaahhhh yes those where the days ……

    Report this comment

    pakaeboiboi  
  • ResistSocialism
    Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:16pm

    Those protesters may have a point but really it’s their problem who they elected. Just like it is for people in the USA.

    Report this comment

    ResistSocialism  
  • Alan
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 3:54pm

    The Pro-Democracy demonstrators would be correct, Obama and company are indeed appeasing all evil in the world, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Report this comment

    Alan  
  • Twobyfour
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:59pm

    It doesn’t matter what Romney said. Obamunist was the president. He appeased Iran’s Islamist regime, he appeases MB Islamists in Egypt. The military industrial complex has nothing to do with it, so please shove that misdirection into your behind. When there is a post about military industrial complex, rant on with a reckless abandon.

    Report this comment

    Twobyfour  
  • Twobyfour
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:39pm

    How the lefties justify the Obamunist’s tacit or vocalized support for radical Islamists. whether Iran a while ago or Egypt? C’mon, show me some mad spin skillz!

    Report this comment

    Twobyfour  
  • Beachmastermax
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:38pm

    You have to be kidding. Why does our administration back up the Muslim Brotherhood? If I just tell you, it won’t get thru. You need to come up with your own conclusion.

    Hint. Don’t think to hard on this, it is not difficult.

    Report this comment

    Beachmastermax  
  • longknifed
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:36pm

    Let me remind you that Romney agreed with Obama on kicking out Mubarek. Why? Because the Iraq war was supposed to bring the Arab Spring. Let’s just stop blaming the puppet Obama and actually blame who is really responsible – the military-industrial complex, who siphons off 7 trillion dollars.

    Report this comment

    longknifed  
  • Old Ogre
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:29pm

    Rest of my long winded rant…
    What we need to do is declare Islam for what it is a quasi-religious-political organization and ban them from the United States period. Then we need to pull out of these areas and let the chips fall where they may. We need to let Bibi know we stand behind Israel and will defend them if needed. Once Israel falls there is nothing to stop Islam from owning that whole area and committing genocide on a scale we have never seen.
    I think it comes down to a few simple questions and thoughts;
    What would our Ancestors have done in this situation?
    What would have happened if we had tried to placate Hitler like we do with the Muslims?
    What bothers me the most is this; we have many religions in our country and elsewhere. Christianity, Jewish, Buddhists, and lots of others but we all more or less tolerate each other especially in the last fifty years or so. How much tolerance of other religions do you see in Islamic nations?

    Report this comment

    Old Ogre  
  • Old Ogre
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:27pm

    “This guest contribution comes from Tarek Ragheb, an Egyptian-American”
    How about knocking off all of the (insert your nationality here) Americans and just calling yourself a damn American. I am sick of it, if you are a blank- American go back to frikin “blank” we plain old Americans are better off without you.
    Now that being said, I am tired of our country being “big brother” to the rest of the world, especially all these damn Islamic nations. That is not our place, and at a time when we are facing our own collapse we can’t afford it! I would love for the whole world to be free but it is up to them to do it on their own.
    It is the same for all the Mexicans coming into the United States, send them home and let them take back their own country! We have enough people here as it is. I have nothing against them personally but don’t come here and mess up what my people fought and died for, stay home and fix your own damn problems!
    All you have to do is research on your own and see what Islam is doing in places like Germany, England, France and Spain. They are slowly taking these places over and will soon have control. If you doubt this can happen here go check out Dearborn Michigan and a few other places, check out some courts allowing Shari law to take president over our own laws in this country and think about how things change over time.
    What we need to do is declare Islam for what it is a quasi-religious-political organization and ban them from the Unite

    Report this comment

    Old Ogre  
  • Dushman Kush
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 1:26pm

    These “pro-democracy” freakazoids are being expelled from Mother Russia, thanks to Comrade Putin. They will be handled in Egypt by the Esteemed Brothers of the Islamic Jihad, Inshallah. Our Leader is right to support the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and in the United States.

    Report this comment

    Dushman Kush  
    • Twobyfour
      Nov. 29, 2012 at 1:59pm

      Dush, I noticed that you sound like a contributor on People’s Cube. Komissar Dush, comrade?

      Report this comment

      Twobyfour  
    • CrazyChicken
      Nov. 29, 2012 at 3:04pm

      Soon Dush-Bag, soon, we will crush you and your kind like the cockroaches you are…And again, your Mohammed is a false God. There is only one God.

      Report this comment

      CrazyChicken  
    • Twobyfour
      Nov. 29, 2012 at 3:14pm

      CrazyChicken, he seems to be hyperbolically (and perhaps diabolically) pulling your leg.

      Report this comment

      Twobyfour  
  • NILAP
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 12:55pm

    The demonstrators in Tahir Square are the Tea Party of Egypt. Remember when the Left proclaimed that the Arab Spring crowds in Egypt were on their side. No, Morsi is the Left’s and Obama’s guy.

    Report this comment

    NILAP  
  • AbrahamsSheepdog
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 12:16pm

    We see Egypt taking a stand. Maybe McCain has learned a bit. He may have learned being weak is not so rewarding. Wish he’d light a blaze under Boehner’s tail too. John you have gained some respect from me. Remember bengazi!!!

    Report this comment

    AbrahamsSheepdog  
  • jblaze
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 12:15pm

    Where will the USA’s appeasement policy will lead the world?

    https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/10132.18.0.0/appeasement-policy

    Report this comment

    jblaze  
  • altops
    Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:21am

    evil always reside in the minority, but through class warfare it gains control, Egypt must arise and cast out the evil minority, the unfit muslimbrotherhood who seek to control, and our own evil here continue to support the brotherhood

    Report this comment

    altops  

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